1. Santa Specials

Christmas at the Spa Valley Railway starts at Eridge Stationwhere visitors are met with the smell of hot chestnuts and a roaring coal fire in the festively decorated waiting room. To get you into the festive spirit, located inside our Waiting Room will be our two popular face painters ready to decorate your cheeks with Christmas trees or snowmen!

You will board your Steam Santa Special hauled train to the strains of traditional Christmas music, then sit back and enjoy a ride through the winter countryside to Tunbridge Wells West. During the journey Santa will visit every child on board the train with a gift for all those good boys and girls so make sure you’re well behaved! Listen for the peep of a whistle and the chuff from the Steam engines chimney as they make their way up the line.

The train journey to Tunbridge Wells West will last around 40-45 minutes where upon arrival Santa will disembark from the train to make his way into our Victorian engine shed where his sleigh can be found. You will have approximately 40 minutes at Tunbridge Wells West where you can sit with Santa in his sleigh for photos, view our spectacular Christmas tree, watch the model trains go round (subject to a small 50p charge), view traditional Christmas shows in our small cinema and also play on the Victorian penny machines. An opportunity for a photograph with the Steam engine is one you shouldn't miss either!

Prior to departure you will be able to visit our well stocked shop and pick up those all-important Christmas gifts, the return journey to Eridge will take approximately 20 minutes.

All Santa Specials at the Spa Valley Railway are hauled by a Steam Locomotive from Eridge to Tunbridge Wells and a Heritage Diesel Locomotive from Tunbridge Wells back to Eridge. For 2018 we are delighted to announce the visit of Great Western Railway Steam Locomotive No. 813 for our Santa Special season, supported by Hunslet Steam Locomotive No. 1982 'Ring Haw'.

Please note all steam and heritage diesel locomotives are subject to availability.

How to book?• Please select the date & time you wish to travel on the left hand side of the page.• Once you have selected the date you wish to travel please select the tickets you require by using the drop down box for the correct number you require. If you need more than 10 you will be able to amend this on the shopping cart page.• You must then select your seats, the booking will not complete unless you select your seats correctly.• Once you have selected your seats you must click 'save seat allocations'.• You can then click 'Checkout'.• Enter the required information and make sure you have a card or PayPal login ready for payment afterwards as otherwise the system will not accept your booking.• lf you selected e-Ticket, you will receive them in an email shortly afterwards to the email address you have provided. If you selected printed and posted these will be sent out by our provider Wilsons much closer to the event.

All Spa Valley Railway Santa Specials are run by dedicated and hardworking volunteers.